Going - Hurdle/bumper tracks - Yielding, changed to Good to Yielding after R1; Chase course - Good to Yielding, changed to Good after R5. Dry
Elliott's hotpot gets him up and running at Down Royal
I was hoping it wasn't going to be deja vu (last year, where he saw two of his runners exit at the last when lying first and second), but thankfully Jack got a good spin off him and said he wasn't doing a stroke the whole way round. It was pretty straightforward. Just a messy race, he wasn't doing a whole lot in front. I think he’s a better horse with a lead - when he won his Grade 1 in Punchestown, he got a lead the whole way. It is all about chasing down the road. Obviously, he could go to Fairyhouse or somewhere before - I'll talk to Michael and Eddie (O'Leary) and see. Nice to get him off to a start. We are a little slower this year and there is plenty of improvement in all these horses. I'd say he actually could drop in trip. In a better race, I'd say he could.
De Bromhead lands Feathard Lady Hurdle again
Really good, delighted with her. She has really found her form,. She always worked like a nice mare last year and she disappointed us in the bumpers, but the two times we ran her it was very testing ground. We just hoped jumping and nicer ground would stand to her, and she has really excelled. She's like a different mare this year. Darragh felt she had stepped forward from Fairyhouse and she did. It was a quick enough turnaround on her.
